21.
22. Books about Andrei Sakharov, progress, and freedom.
23. These are photos of women imprisoned in Russia now.
24.
25.
26.
27. Open, virgin faces of russian people. They experienced the poor soviet reality, but never saw pornography, horror movies, never used drugs. They had completely free high education and medical service, practically free apartments. No one of them was job-less, unemployed. By the soviet constitution all property - land, companies, factories, railroads, oil fields, belong to people. Essentially the country was one gigantic corporation where everyone was promised to be a shareholder.
What Gorbachev brought to them?
Freedom from bloody wars? From terrorist attacks? Criminal gangs?
Did he manage to hand them their share of property?
Did he manage to save the huge soviet industry build by those wearing GULAG cloth, and develop small and middle business?
During Perestroika soviets were robbed by those who supposed to manage the common property.
They were robbed of what their fathers and grandfathers suffered for under terrible regimes.
Soviet Union fell. Russia is free now, but people still struggle for their survival.
Time has changed, but the river is the same.
It is not Soviet Union collapsed politically only. 15 years later the country lost most of its industries. Russian and Ukrainian manufacturing, agriculture, energy and transport systems are on the edge of total disintegration. Armed forces rusted to dust. Asian republics deep into medieval darkness and tyrannies. Caucasus lost everything it gained from the soviet period and became a source for terrorism, slavery, drug dealing, endless wars. Homeless and gangsters filled the streets and cities, life expectancy plunged down. Pensioners hardly have something to eat. Scientific organizations dissolved. Hospitals, schools, and preschools are closing. Professional people leave the county "in-mass".
28. The guest book.
29. The plaque reads: "Thank you, Andrei Sakharov!"
